Audi/VW 3.0L V6 diesel - Harmonic balancer - Installation

[@DanielSchmidt-lq7zi]

Ok folks, this video is not correct for a Diesel. There is no sensor associated with the pulley and the pulley should be balanced from the factory regardless of mounting orientation on the shaft. Interestingly I just had my 2013 Q7 3.0L Diesel Crankshaft Pulley fail. Anyway, I ordered the new pulley from the "good" Audi dealer near me (story for another day). They were ~$100 more than online, but they could also get me the part in 2 days whereas everyone else I found was 2+ weeks. And with shipping from other sources, online would only save me ~$35. Meanwhile I removed the rest of the pulley. Here are the steps: I did this work from the top of the motor and only removed the big plastic motor cover from the vehicle. Once I took my tools out, this took me about 5 minutes to accomplish living here in the rust belt of America. If your pulley did not break, remove your serpentine belt using a T-60 and just popping off the belt. Note the serpentine belt routing before doing this to avoid looking it up later. ;) 1. Remove the 8 bolts that attach the existing pulley (torque is very low and there should be Loctite on the threads) 2. Save the pulley spacer unless you are replacing it 3. If you cannot wiggle the pully off at this step, take a long bar or shaft and place one end on the pulley and hit the other side of the bar with a hammer (I used my mini sledge "Thor" hammer). The pulley should pop "loose" in one or two low to medium force taps. 4. Wiggle the pulley off With regard to the spacer, I did order a new one from Audi since it was only $5.35. The bolts were mostly good, but I am going to replace them because while they were all the same thread, two required an M-10 bit while the rest used M-9 bits. After further inspection, the two M-10's have less than 1/32in walls whereas the others had over 1/8in walls at the tool engagement spline. Luckily the torque on these bolts is low or I could have has a stripped bolt head and a mess! These bolts are about $6.39/ea whether from the dealer or from name your online store. Replacing them all is going to be my approach for peace of mind. I did have to clean the rust from the crank lip the pulley hub rides on. This is why I needed to use a hammer and bar to tap it loose. I took a bit of 220 grip paper and about 2-3 minutes of effort to carefully get the rust off. I am going to put a touch of anti-seize onto this interface before installation of the new pulley for the next time the pulley breaks. And yes, based upon the thousands of failures you can find online, this will break again. Especially living in the rust belt. Re-installation will be the reverse process, torque the 8 bolts to ~18ft-lbs using a criss-cross pattern. NO LOCTITE and NO ANTI-SIEZE on the bolt threads. This is straight from the Audi dealer I purchased the parts from. Put the belt back on, fire it up, look to see that your work is perfect by watching a smooth and straight running pulley, and by that time the engine and turbo should be warmed up for a quick test. Sorry I have no video, I don't think to have a camera when I am working on my vehicles and I generally need both hands to do my work. Regardless, I hope this helps someone.

[@kitdman5749]

so putting it on TDC and locking the engine is not needed to remove the 8 bolts? your a godsend for this write up... thank you much...

[@armandssvagers419]

Thank you so much for this information!

[@leehopkins6983]

Thanks for this fella , I'm in the UK 🇬🇧 and my 3.0 tdi Q7 and I think I have the same issue ?? Did you have a rough idle under 1000rpm?? I've scanned the engine and DPF and no fault codes on anything, also cleaned the EGR and DPF regeneration so I think its the pulley as there is slight play in the wheel ??

[@Vusseyv881]

@@leehopkins6983I have an a8 3.0tdi, and yes rough idle. I ignored it and the thing completely fell off. Luckily I was in a car park. Power steering fails and no alternator charge unsurprisingly.

[@Vusseyv881]

Awesome write up thank you! M10 xnz bolts. And the torque setting was what I needed. Lovely ❤

[@JurisKankalis]

Why does the crankshaft pulley need to be "timed"? On my 2008 Audi Allroad 3,0 TDI (same as A6, basically same engine as this Q5 (engine index on mine is ASB, 171 kW)) - the crankshaft front main seal was busted about 4 years ago. I took the entire front of the car off - installed a new seal and a new crankshaft pulley (harmonic balancer, whatever you call it) - as well as a new water pump, just to be on the safe side. After 20 000 kms there are no problems with the pulley - there cannot be. Because none of the auxiliaries (power steering pump, alternator, water pump, and the AC compressor) need to be "in time" with combustion cycles of the engine. You only need to make the crankshaft IN TIME with the valve shafts - what do you call them... camshafts. AND THAT is only necessary when you change the timing chains. Also - at the same time I also replaced the toothed belt and the round tensioner on the diesel highpressure pump - and if I remember correctly, I rotated the pump a few revolutions before I put the new belt on - the car started just fine, and has been running just fine - even in case of the diesel pump, I don't think it needs to be "in time" - even though it's driven by engine's camshaft - because I think it only checks/requires the overall constant pressure in the fuel rail prior to the injectors - and it doesn't rely on actual pulses of the fuel pump for injection, which would be the case if you needed to "time" the pump. Long story short - I think this video is wrong. The crankshaft pulley isn't balanced to any of its sides - it's just a round pulley rotating away - providing drive (via ribbed belt) to the auxiliaries - which couldn't care less about where the crankshaft is positioned. Anyway, that's my two cents. Sorry for the novel. Greetings from Latvia.

[@PaneraiTravel]

I agree with everything you have said. I have bought a Vaico Pulley V10-1492 (same design as OEM, feels good quality) and there are no markings on it. I haven't done the job yet but I have noticed that 1 of the 8 holes is offset by about 2mm and has an extra smaller hole next to it to show that it is in a different position (further away from the centre.) Therefore, the pulley can only be mounted to the crankshaft mounting plate with its offset hole matching with the offset hole on the mounting plate. That's the only way it will physically fit and this is more important than a sticker or marking. Also use new bolts with blue loctite on the threads and washer disc WHT000950A.

[@Brayco864]

Bit unsure on this as the crankshaft and harmonic balancer can only go on one way as the bolts are “ keyed “ so you can not put it on wrong

[@PaneraiTravel]

Hello, this may be a stupid question but why does the harmonic balancer pulley need to be installed with the mark at TDC top dead centre? It is balanced and isn't toothed and is only driving a serpentine belt which drives other auxilliary pulleys. I don't understand this, it's not a cambelt or timing chain. I look forward to your reply or from anyone else. Thank you.

[@emdporschespecialistcaring8975]

There is a mark on the pulley to put cylinder 1 to top dead centre so you can lock the crankshaft with the crank lock tool. If you don't care about the next mechanic working on the car go ahead & put it anywhere you want. I recommend doing what the workshop manual says.

[@PaneraiTravel]

Thank you for that, I understand now. I wanted to make sure that the harmonic balancers aren't manufactured intentionally out of balance and that they need mounting so that they cancel out any imbalance of the whole crankshaft system. Thanks!

[@JurisKankalis]

@@emdporschespecialistcaring8975 I don't think there are any marks on the new pulley that I have installed (manufactured by Meyle or Kamoka, I think). Also - why would you care about what the mark on the crankshaft pulley says? Aren't there marks on front of the crankshaft? And aren't you supposed to use that tool you show - to fix the crankshaft in place - before you meddle in timing of the engine/valvetrain? If you're concerned with the engine not being timed properly - you probably need to remove the engine from the car (timing chains are on the rear of the engine on these 2.7/3.0 ltr VAG diesels) - and at that point, if you're going to rely on some marks on the crankshaft pulley - (crankshaft pulley can be replaced at any time in the car's lifecycle in a matter of 10 minutes) - to verify correct timing of the engine - you probably shouldn't be working on cars.

[@RA30st08]

​@@emdporschespecialistcaring8975 I don't think anyone has answered you yet. Except for saying the manual says so. I need to replace this part as the rubber has completely sheared off and it's in two parts now. So no idea on the current alignment. I need to know does this matter. Like yourself, I cannot understand why timing matters on the aux belt. The timing chain is still in place, the cams, etc are still in alignment. Why does it matter?

[@emdporschespecialistcaring8975]

@@RA30st08 it's to find top dead centre for cylinder 1 that's what the mark is for - nothing else + make it easier to find the crankshaft alignment for the locking tool to be inserted. Next car I will explain it more clearly

[@onememories8523]

Can you please share the part number to the special tool to line up TDC?

[@tahirotahir]

Not clear on when to put that tool in it. I mean, when the mark will be on top only then this tool will be able to screw in ? Just confuse between the mark lining up and putting that tool in. Your mark was on bootom right and tool still went in? Please explain.

[@Sarngok]

Is this the same with first gen BKN 3.0 V6?

[@soyabean911]

Any idea on the tool number? Thanks

[@garethhigh6929]

Hi do you put the pin in the turn the crank till it stops to get tdc my pully has fell apart so I can't see where the line is cheers

[@emdporschespecialistcaring8975]

Lock the crank up first with a special locking tool that goes through the sump. After that put the new pulley with line at 12 o'clock

[@MrBiszkopt]

@@emdporschespecialistcaring8975 so in this case (your video), you have already misaligned pulley, is that what you say?